Automatic weighing and computing and registering system



E. c. KARP 3,262,639

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING AND COMPUTING AND REGISTERING SYSTEM July 26, 1966 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1965 WEIGHIFIG I YQJ 50 f SET 59- TAREOPER. 53 55%)5 T SET M E IIITII. .1! Dn 6 R F. 3 DH PEN I 7 F. H 5 CM ETX m 9 ru b vn 3 N E mmw y R Du M J VI 7 R mm P M R m E% fl N m E IMA TII N4EWLG Wmm 0 Th U C I 4/ S m I A r 5 ID 00a 3 3 A .l E 3 Rmw llllIIIIIJITIII 0 Am nC ,3

POT ROAST TE? A'lf'} PRICE LB, NET WT. 5 ICE 1.20 5 L.

APR. 2|, 62

STATION INVENTOR. BY Edward C Karp July 26, 1966 E. C. KARP Filed Feb.8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WEIGH FIG. 4(a) I09 CE TARE no fikopemna m I6 JF F -X- '7 D Monos'ruble o- F F (one shot) Zero I30 [Q8 13 Weight L;

F F I I44 I Monosruble (one shor) ///(/f// :f I42 MOTION AMPLIFIERBIINVERTER DETECTOR |30 8| INVERTER F F -o I40 ENCODER I Monostuble (oneshoi) InvenIor By EDWARD C. KARP July 26, 1966 Filed Feb. 8, 1965 E. C.KARP AUTOMATIC WEIGHING AND COMPUTING AND REGISTERING SYSTEM 5Sheets-Sheet :5

I2I CLOCK 4w) I25 O I58 I20 {.74 L- 24 F F I 0m. II9 M IabI 55 onos e )27 (Schmidt F l 2 DELAY F F Trigger) I ll? fi Q GROSS WEIGHT REGISTERjjjjjjjjjjjjy f f f f f f I f l f f f f s, GROISS WEIGHT REIGISTER T I54I A I I I I A I I J J J J J J J J J J J J F f f f f @ifi I I I IT [02SITIIARE ACCU MUL A OR T 23 O O L l E Z O 3 0 C E I06 [g TIARE STORAGE TT T T A DELAY I36 I46 0 O O C j JJ TENS TENTHS HUNDREDTHS OF POUNDSPOUNDS V OF POUNDS 0F POUNDS 29 IIIIIIII'IIIIIII L NET WEIGHT REGISTERInvenror EDWARD C. KARP IIvs.

July 26, 1966 E. c. KARP 3,262,639

AUTOMATIC WEIGHING AND COMPUTING AND REGISTERING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 8,1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 F 6 4 PRICE PER POUND CONTROL SWITCHES TENTHSHUNDREDTHS DOLLARS OF DOLLARS OF DOLLARS DOLLARS PRODUCT R GISTERHUNDREDTHS OF TENTHS OF DOL. DOLLARS Invnior EDWARD C. KARP Mood W AHys.

July 26, 1966 Filed Feb. 5, 1965 c. KARP 3,262,639

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 GENERATOR FUNCTION PULSE FUNCTION NOT FUNCTION HG. 5

a b c d o. b c d. START o o o o L l I l 1 I o o 0 o I I I 2 o I o o A ol I 3 I I o o o o I 4 o 0 I 0 2L I 5 I 5 I o I o o I o I e o I I o I 0 oI 7 I I I o 0 o o J a 0 o o I I I I '0' 9 I o o I T I I o 'TZF ISI'IEI'I'IF' SET A B C 0 FIG. 6

I ON

2 ON ON 3 ON ON 4 ON ON ON 6 ON ON 7 ON ON ON 8 ON ON ON 9 ON ON ON ONCUMULATIVE PULSE INPUT TO THE LEAST SIGNIFICANT DECADE OF THE PRODUCTREGISTER (INCLUDING PRESET 5) PULSE PRICE SWITCH PRESET l 2 3 4 5 6 7 89 7 1 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 2 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 T 7 3 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 4 5 6 77 7 7 8 8 9 5 5 6 7 7 8 B 9 9 6 5 6 8 8 8 8 9 7 5 6 8 8 9 9 8 6 7 8 8 99 6 7 8 9 lnvenIor By EDWARD c. KARP United States Patent 3,262,639AUTOMATIC WEIGHING AND COMPUTING AND REGISTERING SYSTEM Edward C. Karp,1001 E. Lincoln, Belvidere, Ill. Filed Feb. 8, 1965. Ser. No. 434,169 8Claims. (Cl. 235--58) The present invention relates to an automaticweighing, price computing and registering system for random weightpie-packaged commodities. This is a continuation in part of applicationNo. 228,144, now abandoned, of the same title filed on October 3, 1962.

Pre-packaging of deteriorable commodities has become a common practicein retail merchandising of food products. For some food products such asmeat, each cut of which has its own individual random weight, it is thepractice in the industry to weigh and adjust the price of each packagerather than adjust the weight of each individual package. Automaticweighing, computing and registering systems have been devised foraccomplishing this purpose. These systems are either of the feedbackservo type which has the disadvantage of requiring a preloaded systemand the attendant problems of securing the requisite adjustment, or theyare of the direct reading type characterized as being complex andexpensive. All of the systems so provided rely upon manual adjustmentfor tare weight compensation, that is, to adjust the gross weight of theprepackaged commodity for the weight of the packaging materials,including the paper boat and the cover wrap. Such adjustment isunsatisfactory because of the greatly variable human error involved andthe resulting injustice to seller and buyer alike.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved automatic weighing, computing and registering system for randomweight pre-packaged commodities wherein there is no appreciable loadingin the system, and wherein compensation for the weight of the packagingmaterials can be automatically set into the system.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a new andimproved automatic weighing, computing and registering system includingan optical weight encoding system substantially free of frictionalresistance and capable of providing an unambiguous weight signal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedautomatic weighing, computing and registering system including acomputer which, upon command, measures and stores information ,withregard to the weight of the packaging materials and thereaftercompensates each gross package weight for the weight ofthe package inorder to secure an accurate and true net commodity weight.

A specific object of the invention is to provide an improved automaticweighing, computing and registering system including a compound leverplatform scale of the automatic indicating type and driving an opticalangular shaft position encoder; a computer capable of storinginformation with regard to the weight of the packaging- 3,252,639Patented July, 26, 1 966 following specification and drawings forming apart thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a block schematic arrangement of the system in accordancewith the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a graphic display of a binary coding system that may beemployed in the arrangement of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 illustrates a label prepared in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 4 (a-c) is an exemplary detailed schematic logic circuit for theblock schematic of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a table of the sequential output functions of one decade ofthe product generator of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a table of the binary switch functions for each decimalprice per pound control switch in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a table showing the cumulative pulse count, including thepreset, in the least significant decade of the product register ofFIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURE 1 an automaticweighing, computing and registering system 10 including generally aweighing device 20, a computer 30, an oper-ators console 50, and adisplay register 70.

The weighing device 20 is shown schematically in FIG- URE l to be acompound lever platform scale including 'a platform 21 carried on alever system 22 operating against a resistance 26. An encoder 2-8 isselectively operated from the lever system 22 through a rack 23 and apinion 24, in accordance with the weight placed on the platform 21. Thesignal derived from the encoder 28 is transmitted via conductor 29 tothe computer unit 30.

The computer unit 30 is comprised basically of a tare register 32, aweight register 34, a price register 36, a controller 38, a subtracter40 and a multiplier 42. The tare register 32 and the weight register 34alternatively are conne-ctible to the incoming conductor 29 vdaa switch31. The tare register 32 is adapted to receive a coded weight from thescale 20 and to store that weight information therein for cyclicapplication to the subtracter 40. The Weight register 34 also receivesweight information from the encoder 28 in the scale 20 but is cycliclycleared and receives new weight information after each cycle ofoperation as directed from the controller 38. The price register 36 hasregistered therein unit weight price, or rate information as set byswitches 60 associated therewith. Storage registers of the type suitablefor use as the tare'register 32, the weight register 34 and the priceregister 36 are disclosed and discussed in the text .Digital Countersand Computersby Ed Bukstein, Technical Division, Rinehart and Company,Incorporated, New York, 1960, at pages 152 to 154.

The tare register 32 is connected to the controller 38 via a conductor33A for signalling the controller when a tare weight is registeredtherein. Also, the tare register is connected via conductor 33B to thesubtracter 40 for furnishing thereto the tare register weight. Theweight register 34 is connected to the controller 38 via a controlconductor 35A and is connected via the conductor 35B to the subtracter40 for furnishing thereto the gross weight signal registered therein viathe conductor 29 and switch 31 from the scale 20. The net weight of thecommodity as determined in the subtracter 40 by subtracting the tareweight from the gross Weight which net weight signal is applied via theconductor 41 to the multiplier 42. A suitable arrangement for theconstruction of thesubtracter 40 may be as described in the text,Automatic Digit-a1 Calculators, by Andrew and Kathleen Booth,Butterworths Scientific Publications, London, second edition, 1956, inchapter 6 entitled, The Arithmetic Unit, beginning at page 36 andspecifically on pages 44 and dealing with the subject of Subtraction.Another description is given on pages 161 and 162 of the publicationtitled, Digital Counters and Computers above referred to.

The weight register 34 is signalled from the controller 38 via aconductor 39A; the multiplier 42 is signalled via a conductor 39B; andthe display register is signalled via a conductor 39C. The priceregister 36 signals the controller 38 via a conductor 37A to indicatethe storing of a unit price therein and the unit price information istransmitted via conductor 37B to the multiplier 42. Multipliers such asmay be useful in carrying out the multiplic-ation function of themultiplier 42 are described in the text, Automatic Digital Calculators,"above referred to, on pages 45 to 48, inclusive, and also in theBukstein publication at pages 163 to 167, inclusive. The output from themultiplier 42, which is the computed price, is applied via conductor 43to the display register 70. Completion of a weighing, computing anddisplaying cycle is indicated to the controller 38 by a signal appliedfrom the display register 70 via the conductor 72. Thereupon thecontroller 38 operates via conductors 39A, 39B, and 39C to clear andreset the weight register 34, the multiplier 42, and the displayregister 70. Resetting of the weight register 34 clearsany differencesignal from the subtracter 40.

The console is connected to and preferably closely associated with thecomputer 30 and includes the switch control 51 by means of which theswitch 31 in the computer is operated and also individual signal lights53,

and 57. The lamp 53 is designated the set tare lamp whichis operatedfrom the controller 38 responsive to a change in the rate price signalfurnished to the price register 36 without a change in the signalregistered in the tare register 32. The lamp 55 is designated theoperate lamp which is illuminated whenever a tare weight signal has beeninserted into the tare register 32 and the operate switches 51 and 31have been moved from the set tare position to the operate position. Theoperate lamp remains on throughout the operating period. The lamp 57 isa cy-clicly operated weigh lamp which is illuminated whenever the priceregister 36 has a signal inserted therein and the tare register-32 has asignal inserted therein but the weight register 34 is without a signal.Whenever a signal is registered in the weight register 34 the weigh lamp57 is extinguished. At the end of the cycle and after the controller 38has been signalled from display register 70 via conductor 72, thecontroller 38 operates to clear and reset the weight register 34, themultiplier 42, and the display register 70 and cause illumination of theweigh lamp 57.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing, the controller 38 is thatportion of the computer 30 which automatically executes the previouslyprepared program instructions and performs an aggregate of gating,timing, and counting functions. Thus the controller 38 is constructed soas to retain and recycle a prepared instruction program and may be of aconstruction of the type out- I lined in the text Handbook ofAutomation, Computation, and Control, volume 2, by Grabbe, Remo, andWoolridge, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1959, at pages 2-44 and pages18-33, to 1839, inclusive. The specific design employed for thecontroller 38 may vary according to the chosen methods of the engineerskilled in the computer art.

It is to be appreciated that the console 50 or components thereof suchas the switch control 51 may be located remotely from the weighingdevice 20 or computer 30 in certain applications. For example, in anautomatic weighing, pricing and wrapping processing line it may bedesirable to have all controls at a single station so that one personmay control the entire operation. Remote control may be accomplishedthrough cable or other conventional means.

Considering now the mode of operation of the system 10 shown in FIGURE 1and assuming that the station clerk is going to weigh, compute and pricea commodity such, for example, as pot roast which is selling at $1.20 apound, the price rate information is set into the price register 36 inthe computer 30. The registering of the unit price information in theprice register 36 causes a signal to be sent via the conductor 37A tothe controller 38 which causes the set tare lamp 53 on the console 50 tobe illuminated. Thereupon the operator operates the switch 51 into theset tare position thereby connecting the conductor 29 extending from thescale 20 directly to the tare register 32 in the computer 30. Theoperator then places upon the platform 21 of the scale 20 the packagingmaterials used to wrap the pot roast such, for example, as the paperboat in which the meat is carried and the Wrap that is placed around it.This weight is determined at the scale 20 to be a tenth of a pound whichweight and any zero error in the scale is detected at the encoder 28 andtransmitted via the conductor 29 to the tare register 32 and storedtherein. The registration of a weight therein is signalled to thecontroller 38 via the conductor 33A which causes the operate lamp 55 tobe illuminated along with the set tare lamp 53. This signals to theoperator that the switch 51 should be moved from the set tare positionto the operate position. Upon movement of switch 51 to the operateposition the conductor 29 extending from the scale 20 is connecteddirectly to the weight register 34 and the controller 38 is signalledvia the conductor 35A to extinguish the set tare lamp 53 and illuminatethe weigh lamp 57.

Subsequently, as the pre-packaged commodity is placed upon the scale 20and the weight thereof, for example, five and one-tenth pounds isdetermined at the scale this Weight and any zero error in the scale isdetected at the encoder 28 transmitted via the conductor 29 to theweight register 34 and registered therein. Thereupon the controller 33is signalled via conductor 35A to cause the lamp 57 to extinguish. Thegross Weight in the weight register 34 is transmitted via the conductor35B to the subtracter 4t and the tare weight in the register 32 istransmitted via the conductor 33B to subtracter 40'. Therein the tareweight is subtracted from the gross weight to provide a net commodityweight of, in the case of the present example, five pounds to themultiplier 42 via conductor 41. In the multiplier 42 the net weightinformation is multiplied with the unit price information furnishedthereto via the conductor 37B from the price register 36 and the netprice determined therefrom, in the present example six dollars, isfurnished via the conductor 43 to display register 70.

Receipt of the net price information at the display register issignalled to the controller 38 via the conductor 72 and the displayregister operates to render a visual display of the net price of sixdollars. Shortly thereafter the controller 38 operates to clear theweight register 34, the multiplier 42 and the display register 70 viathe conductors 39A, 39B, and 39C, respectively, and to again illuminatethe weigh lamp 57. Thereby the operator is signalled that he may placeanother package on the scale and proceed through another weighing,computing and displaying operation.

From the foregoing it is clear that the display furnished at the displayregister 70 is an accurate net price for the commodity furnished in thepackage. Specifically, the tare register 32 records as a referenceweight whatever the preliminary reading of the scale might be includingany zero scale error and the weight of the packaging material.Accordingly, the weight information furnished at the subtracter 40 isthe gross scale weight of the prepackaged commodity at the scale minusthe weight of the packaging material and zero scale error, or a true netweight for the commodity. The output from the multiplier 42 as displayedat the display register 70 is an accurate net price for the commodity.

The foregoing has been explained in terms of the most simple embodiment,wherein the display register 70 makes only a visual display of the netprice to be charged for the pre-packaged commodity. It is contemplatedthat the display register 70 may be a printer which provides a printedticket carrying thereon the net price :of the commodity, which ticketcan then be attached to the pre-packaged commodity. Such a printer maybe of any convention-a1 form as presently available on the market.

In the circumstance where the display register 70 is a printer and alabel is printed it may be desirable to include on the label additionalinformation such as, the net weight of the commodity and the unit pricecharged for the commodity, both of which are available within thecomputer 30. 36 would be connected via conductor 137 to the displayregister 70 for furnishing thereto unit price information and thesubtracter 40 would be connected to the display register 70 via theconductor 141 for furnishing thereto the net weight information.Accordingly, the display register 70 would then be operated to print onthe label the net price, the price per pound and the net weight of thecommodity therein. I

It is easily understood that in the circumstance where the displayregister is a printer, additional information may be included such asidentification of the commodity, in the case of the present example potroast, the date of the packaging operation and any identificationsymbols that may be desirable. This could be accomplished, for example,by inserting into the printer specific printing slugs. Such a completeprepared label might appear as illustrated by the reference character145 in FIGURE 3 and include total net price, price per pound, netweight, identification of commodity, date and station.

In the circumstance where the. display register 70 is actually a printercarrying out the function of printing a label, the controller 38 couldbe adapted so that upon presentation to the register 70 of the pertinentnet price information via conductor 43, net weight information viaconductor 141 and the price per pound information via the conductor 137,the controller 38 would be signalled via conductor 72 whereupon theregister 70 would be operated via the control conductor 39C to print thelabel. At the same time, the controller 38 could operate in the manneras previously described to clear the signal in the weight register 34,the multiplier 42 and the display register 70. Illumination of the weighlamp 57 may be retarded until the printed label had been manuallyremoved from the display register 70. Removal of the label would thenindicate a completion of a total cycle which would be indicated via theconductor 72 to the controller 38 and cause illumination of the weighlamp 57. I

Actually the operation of the controller 38 in clearing the weightregister 34, the multiplier 42 and the display register 70 and also inillumination of the lamps in the console 50 is subject to many possiblevariations not critical to the operation of the system as describedherein. It is within easy contemplation of those skilled in the art thatthe operators console might include more or less instruction lamps. Thecontroller 38 is preferentially arranged to operate so that while thedisplay register 70 is In this circumstance the unit price registerprinting a label in completion of one weighing, computing accurateinformation, not only from the standpoint of weighing accurately over abroad range of weights but also providing accurate and unambiguousweight signals to the computer 30. In the circumstance where the'scale20 might be capable of weighing from 0 to 24 pounds to an accuracy of ofa pound, the scale must be capable of measuring one pant in 2400 and itmust be linear over the total 2400 unit range. At the same time it mustbe capable of transmitting any one of 2400 corresponding damping cycleto equilibrium is a compound multiplying lever platform scale of theautomatic indicating type such as disclosed in the copending applicationSerial No. 358,-- 672, E. C. Karp, filed on April 9, 1964 andassigned tothe same assignee. As disclosed in greater detail therein an appropriateencoder providing minimum loading to the scale is an optical typeangular shaft position encoder for which the output signals arepresented according to the Gray binary code. Optical type angular shaftposition encoders suitable for use herein may be one such as disclosedin United States Patent No. 2,941,088 granted to W. H. Maboney andentitled Optical Encoder. Through the use of an optical type encoder thefrictional drag upon the system and the moment of inertia of the scaleis held to a minimum. By using a Gray binary encoding system it ispossible to provide an output signal which if made ambiguous because ofa weight between two distinct increments, the maximum possible error isonly the difierence between two adjacent increments. Specifically, inthe Gray binary encoding system only one bit changes per change inincrement. This is illustrated in FIGURE 2 wherein there is demonstrateda four bit binary numbering system according to the Gray encodingschedule for increments from 0 to 15 and wherefore any change as betweenindividual increments only one of the four hits A, B, C and D changes.Accordingly, if the angular shaft position of the encoder 28 stops atany point intermediate two adjacent increments, the greatest error thatthe encoder can make is the selection of one adjacent increment ratherthan the other adjacent increment. Thus, where the scale has capacity tomeasure in increments of A of a pound over a range of 24 pounds, themaximum error presented by an encoder scheduled according to the Graybinary system is of a pound and to an accuracy of one in 2400 parts.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, there is shown therein a detailed exemplaryschematic logic circuitry arrangement for the automatic weighing,computing and registering system 10. Specific electronic components forindividual cordingly, only the novel logic combination and its operationneed be described herein. It will be appreciated that the logiccircuitry shown is merely exemplary and other digital computing systemscould be devised.

It will be noted generally that the exemplary circuit herein preferablyemploys binary weight sensing and logic, i.e., logic components whichmay be actuated to one of two possible states, referred to herein as theone state and the zero state. The logic units.here include pure binaryregisters for gross weight (101), tare accumulation (102), and tarestorage (103), and binary coded decimal (BCD) registers for a productgenerator 127, a product register 128 and a net weight register 129.There is provided by binary-decimal conversion and 'display a displayeddecimal output at the net weight and the product registers.Correspondingly there is provided a decimal input by the settings ofprice per pound switches 132.

Considering the state of the circuitry at the completion of anypreceding machine cycle, the gross weight register 101 and the. tareaccumulator 102 of FIGURE 4(b) will both be found with all positions setto zero. However, the tare storage register 103 will still have storedwhatever tare information was put into it during the last preceding tareweighing. Further, a set tare (zero tare) lamp 109 will be off, anoperate (tare in) lamp 110 will be on; a Weigh (ready) lamp 111 will beon; and a zero weight lamp will be on if there is no load on the scaleplatform. The price per pound switches 132 will of course have beenpreviously set by the operator 7 by turning them to the proper displayeddecimal setting on decimal dials 134. Each switch 132 preferably has afour deck set of contacts which provide four binary settings for eachdecimal setting, as shown in the table of FIGURE 6.

Now beginning a new cycle of weighing and computation, and assuming itis desired to insert new tare information, the operator momentarilycloses a normally open set tare switch 104 shown in FIG. 4(a). Thisimmediately supplies an input to a monostable (one shot) flipflop 105.The flip-flop 105 thereupon provides a single fixed time pulse output.This pulse is routed to each set zero" input lead into the binary tarestorage register 103 to set each register unit to zero. The tare storageregister 103 is thereby cleared. Connected to the zero output lead ofall units in the tare storage register 103 is a zero responsive and gate106. Since all the outputs are now zero, this and gate 106 opens. Thisprovides a signal to a time delay circuit 136. After a short time delaythe output from the delay circuit 136 goes to an adjacent and gate 107.The same output from the delay circuit 136 lights the set tare lamp 109and is applied through an inverter 138 to inhibit a start and gate 108.The same signal through the inverter 138 on another lead turns out theoperate lamp 110 and inhibits an and gate 113 controlling the weigh lamp111. The circuit is now ready to make a tare weight measurement, asindicated by the lighted set tare lamp 109.

Placing a tare weight on the scale causes an encoder 140 to rotate andprovide an output signal, The encoder 140 is preferably a 12 bit opticalbinary type. A zero responsive and gate 112 is connected to all of theencoder 140 outputs through a multi-channel amplifier and inverter 142.When the encoder is actuated by any weight this and gate 112 is blocked,due to the absence of one or more outputs. The closing of the an gate112 causes the connected inverter 144 to provide another enabling inputto the and gate 107. However, the and gate 107 has a third input whichmust be enabled.- This is provided by the output of a motion detectorand inverter 130. The motion detector 130 is connected to a channel ofthe encoder 140 and senses any motion therein (sensing an alternatingoutput signal). As soon as the encoders motion ceases it provides afinal enabling signal to the gate 107. Closing the gate 107 applies anenabling input to each of a set of transfer and gates 146 which controlthe input to each unit of the tare storage register 103. This allowseach bit of the encoder reading to pass through a gate 146 into acorresponding set one input of a unit in the tare storage register.Thereby the binary coded weight sensed by the encoder is stored in thetare storage register.

It will be noted that there is provided herein a tare storage registerwhich has only six binary storage units and is connected with only thelast six channels (six least significant information bits) of theencoder. This is an economy which may be made where the tare weight islow (i.e., less than .63 1b., preferably). It should also be noted thatthe amplifier and inverter 142 have inverted the encoder output, so thetare storage register 103 is actually being set to the complement, orinverse, of the tare weight. Further, if the encoder 140 employs anon-ambiguous code such as the Grey code, it should provide a conversionto standard binary code output.

The placing from the encoder of any ones into the tare storage register103 results in the absence of one or more zero outputs, which conditionis sensed by the and gate 106. The closing of the gate 106 actuates thedelay circuit 136. Accordingly, after a short time delay, the transfercontrol and gate 107 is again gated off, thereby elosing the transfergates 146 to block any further input to the tare storage register. Thissame zero signal from the delay circuit 136 turns olt the set tare lamp109, and, through the inverter 138, relights the operate lamp 110. Theoperate lamp 110 thus indicates that the w tare weight is now in thetare storage register. Further, the output of the inverter 130 appliesan enabling input to the weigh lamp gate 113 and to the start controlgate 108. Accordingly, the circuit is now in condition for the mainweighing cycle, and the commodity or produce to be weighed may beapplied to the scale platform.

To start the weighing cycle the operator momentarily closes an operateswitch 114 shown in FIGURE 4(a) to apply an input to the monostable (oneshot) flip-flop 115. This input is of an indefinite duration dependingupon how long the operator holds the operate switch 114 closed. However,the one shot flip-flop 115 provides an output which is a single pulse ofa fixed time duration and applies it as an input to a (bi-stable)flip-flop 116. Actuation of the flip-flop 116 applies a steady input tothe start and gate 108'.

The commodity load on the scale platform actuates the encoder and itsassociated circuitry in the same manner as previously described for thetare weighing. That is, when the motion detector and inverter detectsthe absence of further movement in the encoder (i.e., when the scale hasachieved equilibrium) it provides an output signal. This output signalprovides an input to the start and gate 108. A further input signal tothe start and gate 108 is provided by the closing of the and gate 112upon an output from any of the encoder channels. The final enablinginput to the start and gate 108 is provided from the output of a zerodetect and gate 117 in FIGURE 4(b) which has inputs from all zerooutputs of the gross weight register 101.

All the above necessary enabling inputs being provided to the start andgate 108, it closes and the output triggers a monostable flip-flop 118.One lead from the output of this flip-flop 118 restores or resets theflip-flop 116 to its original off position.

Considering the operations initiated by the single pulse output of themonostable flip-flop 118, this pulse is passed through a lead to eachset zero input of the net weight register 129 in FIGURE 4(b) and theproduct generator 127 and product (output) register 128 in FIG- URE 4(a)to clear these registers. However, in the product register 128 theinputs to the least significant BCD decade register 162 are connected soas to preset this one unit to a binary five setting rather than zero.Simultaneously the same pulse from the monostable flipfiop 118 isapplied to each of the transfer and gates 152 at the inputs to the tareaccumulator 102. This allows the ones output of each unit of the tarestorage register 103 to pass through these transfer gates 152 into eachcorresponding ones input of the tare accumulator 102. Further, the pulsefrom flip-flop 118 is also applied to each transfer and gate 154 at theinputs tothe gross weight register 101. This allows the binary grossweight reading from the encoder 140 to enter the set ones inputs of thegross weight register.

The zero detect an gate 117 associated with the zero outputs of thegross Weight register 101 responds to any ones outputs, and therebycloses when the gross weight is entered in the gross weight register.When the and gate 117 closes it removes one of the enabling inputs tothe start and? gate 108. The and gate 117 closing also removes anenabling input from the weigh lamp gate 113, to gate 011 the weigh lamp111. The gross weighing operation is now completed.

Now returning again to the output pulse from the monostable flip-flop118, this output is also connected through a delay circuit 156 totrigger a gating flip-flop 119, which in turn triggers a clock gateflip-flop 120 through an and circuit 158. The other input to the andgate 158 is from the pulse train output of a clock circuit 121. Thus theactuation of the flip-flop 120 is synchronized to a clock pulse by thegate 158. The gating flip-flop 119 is returned to its initial offposition by the output of the gate clock flip-flop 120. The clock gateflip-flop 120 itself remains on, and its output allows the zero theclock 121 pulse train to pass through an and gate 159. The gate 120 isnot flipped back until the conclusion of the computation cycle describedbelow, when it is re-- stored by a diiferentiated pulse from thereopening of the and gate 117.

A monostable (Schmidt trigger) flip-flop 122 is biased to normallyprovide an enabling output to the and gate 125 to allow the pulses fromthe clock 121 to pass through this gate and into the product generator127. However, the presence of a tare reading in the tare accumulator102, as is the condition at this pointin the cycle, causes a onessensing or gate 123 at the tare accumulator outputs to provide a gatinginput to the Schmidt trigger 122. This causes the Schmidt trigger toremove its enabling input to the and gate 125 and to apply an enablinginput to an an gate 124 instead. Thus at the present point in the cyclethe train of clock pulses passes through the gate 124 and is routed intothe totaling, or counting, input of the gross weight register 101. Theclock pulses are also routed through an and gate 160 into the countinginput of the tare accumulator 102. A diode 126 blocks the clock pulsesfrom entering the net weight register 129.

It will be remembered that both the gross weight register 101 and thetare accumulator 102 have been set with the complement of the measuredgross weight and tare weight respectively. Thus the application of theclock pulse train into the counting input of each causes an efiectivecount-down toward a zero setting.

Since the gross weight will in every case exceed the tare weight, it isevident that the tare accumulator will be the first to be counted downto zero (by a number of clock pulses equal to the tare weight appliedplus one). Since the gross weight register 101 is simultaneously beingcounted down at the same rate, when the tare accumulator 102 reacheszero the gross weight register will have.

remaining therein the eflectiv-e net weight complement, i.e., themeasured gross weight complement minus the measured tare weightcomplement.

Immediately upon the tare accumulator 102 reaching or gate 123 willsense the absence of any ones outputs and close. This gates off the andgate obtained through the and gates 165 are passed to the collectorbus170 and thereby applied into the counting input of the BCD productregister 128. Selective gating of the matrix 164 by the selectivesetting of the price per pound switches 132, as shown in FIGURE 6,results in a selective output count applied into the product register128.

The table of FIGURE 7 represents a cumulative pulse count into thefirst, or least significant decade, register 162 of the product register128. The vertical column at the leftside of the table indicates thepulse count into the product generator. The first horizontal row,immediately under price switch pre-set, indicates the decimal setting ofone price per pound control switch 132. Each such decimal settingprovides a price switch func tion as shown in the table of FIGURE 6which correspondingly. controls the gate in the matrix 164, and there-160 and thereby prevents further clock pulse inputs to the tareaccumulator. Closing the or gate 123 also removes the actuating signalto the Schmidt trigger 122, so that it returns to its normal state. Thiscloses the and' gate 124 and opens the and gate 125. Thereby the clockpulse train is removed from the gross weight register 101 and redirectedinto the counting input of the product generator 127.

The product generator 127 herein contains three fourplace 8-4-2-1 BCD(binary coded decimal) registers inseries. Such registers arecommercially available for example from Texas Instruments, Incorporated,Dallas, Texas. The pulses applied into the counting input of each decaderegister produce a cumulative binary function therein as shown in FIGURE5. In addition, each tenth pulse from the first decade unit is appliedinto the second decade unit, and each tenth pulse from the second decadeunit (each hundredth pulse into the first decade) is applied to thethird decade.

Multiplication of the net weight times the price per pound isaccomplished with the product generator 127 together with a price gatematrix 164 and the product register 128. An output from each binary unitin each decade register in the product generator is connected into aninput of one of the and gates 165 forming the matrix 164. The pulsesapplied thereby from the product generator are derived from thesequential dynamic changes in the not function at the zero output plates(see FIGURE, 5). The other input to each of the and gates 165 isprovided from the price per pound switches 132. For example, the dollarswitches A, B, C, and D control respectively the gates a, b, c, and dassociated with the first decade register. The sequential outputs byprovides a pulse count as indicated in the table. It will be rememberedthat this first decade 162 has been pre-set to a count of 5 through thelead 150.

The number of clock pulses applied into the product generator 127 mustof course be controlled and determined by the net weight complementreading in the gross weight register 101. This is accomplished bysimultaneously countingdown the gross weight register until it reachzero, at which point the clock pulse input is immediately halted to theproduct generator.

To provide this function a lead 172 is taken from the output of thesecond decade register in the product generator and connected throughthe diode 126 into the gross weight register 101. This lead is alsoconnected into the net weight BCD register 129 so that the net weightwill be registered therein. The pulse count on this lead 172 is only onepulse for every l00-clock pulses applied into the product generator aspreviously explained.

Immediately uponthe completion of the net weightcomplement countdown inthe gross weight register 101 (signalled by a Zero output from allunits) the and gate 117 is actuated to apply through a differentiator174 an impulse to the clock gate flip-flop 120. Operation of theflip-flop 120 gates off the and gate 159, which stops the clock pulsetrain output. Further, the and" gate 117 provides an enabling input tothe start and gate 108 and relights the weigh lamp 111. The productregister 128 and net weight register 129 are preferably associated withmechanical printout means for automatically printing the decimal priceand net weight respectively.

By way of an example, a desired price per pound setting of $1.29 and anet weight of one pound corresponding to a pulse count of will beassumed. For the 100 pulses to be counted into the gross weight register101, 10,000 clock pulses must be applied into the first decade registerof the product generator 127. The price switch function for a 1 dollarprice per pound setting (note FIGURE 6) results in only gate d of thematrix 164 being open. Accordingly, from the dynamic not function tableof FIGURE 5 it may be seen that only one pulse in ten, or 1000 pulses inthe example, will be selectively passed through the matrix 164 andapplied into the product register. Meanwhile the second decade in theproduct generator will have received an input of 1000 pulses from theoutput of the first decade. Since the price per pound tenths of dollarsswitch is set to 2 here, gates 0 and d are open and two of each tenapplied pulses will be passed to the product register for a pulse countof 200 in this case. Similarly, 100 of the original 10,000 pulses areapplied into the third decade of the product generator,

and since the hundredths of dollars switch has been set to 9 the gates a[2 c and d are open and 9 out of each 10 pulses (see FIGURE 5 again)will be applied to the product register.

From the above it may be seen that for the 10,000 pulses applied intothe product generator in this example, and adding the preset 5, thereare 1,295 sequential pulses 1 i into the product register 128.Accordingly, the product register unit will provide a decimalregistration of $1.29. The preset 5 provides automatic rounding oif tothe closest hundredth of dollars. That is, a product register countresulting in a least significant value of .0045 dollar will result in acarry pulse to the hundredths of dollars.

decade, rounding the price to the nearest cent.

The above-described logic system and circuit provides simplenon-critical control and function. .The clock rate may be moderate, andis not critical as to frequency stability. A 300,000 pulse per secondclock rate will allow complete cycling in somewhat less than 1 second.

In view of the foregoing, it is clear that there has been providedhereby a new and improved automatic weighing, computing, and registeringsystem for random weight pre-packaged commodities. The system aspresented is completely automatic yet simple and easy to maintain. Itsprimary advantages are that it will automatically compensate for tareweight and zero error in the scale, so as always to provide a true netweight indication for the prepackaged commodity. Further, through theuse of an optical encoder employing a non-ambiguous Gray binary codingsystem it is possible to provide in a compact system for the easydetection of a weight signal over a broad range of weight signals forwhich the maximum error in the system is only the difference between twoadjacent increments in the total range of increments.

It is to be appreciated that the arrangement disclosed herein is merelyexemplary of the invention and that variations and modifications may bemade therein by those skilled in the art. It is intended to cover in theappended claims all such variations and modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. An automatic weighing and computing and registering system forpreparing price labels for random weight pre-packaged commoditiesincluding, a weighing scale providing a weight signal corresponding tothe weight of a package placed thereon, a pricing switch selectivelyoperable for providing a rate signal corresponding to a unit weightprice for the commodity to be labelled, a computer responsive to saidweight signals and rate signals for providing corresponding pricesignals, and a register responsive to said price signals for displayingthe vprice of a pre-packaged commodity to be labelled; said computercomprising means for storing the first weight signal from said scale asa reference weight and for sensing each of the subsequent weight signalsfrom said scale as gross weights, and further means for determining thediiference between said first weight signal and each of said subsequentweight signals, whereby each price signal furnished to said registercorresponds to the net price for the commodity as determined from thegross weight of the pie-packaged commodity and said reference weight.

2. An automatic weighing and computing and registering system forpreparing price labels for random weight prepackaged commoditiesincluding, a weighing scale providing a weight signal corresponding tothe weight of a package placed thereon, a pricing switch selectivelyoperable for providing a rate signal corresponding to a unit weightprice for the commodity to be labelled, a computer responsive to saidweight signals and rate signals for providing corresponding pricesignals, and a register responsive to said price signals for displayingthe price of a prepackaged commodity to be labelled; said computercomprising means for storing a first weight signal from said scale as areference Weight and for detecting each of said subsequent weightsignals from said scale as gross weights, a subtracting unit fordetermining the difference between said first weight signal and each ofsaid subsequent weight signals thereby to provide a corresponding netweight signal, and a multiplier unit responsive to each said net weightsignal and said rate signal for producing as a product a correspondingprice signal, whereby each price signal furnished to said registercorresponds to the net price for the commodity as determined from thegross weight of the pre-packaged commodity and said reference Weight.

3. An automatic weighing and computing and registering system forpreparing price labels for random weight pre-packaged commoditiesincluding, a weighing scale providing a weight signal corresponding tothe weight of a package placed thereon, a pricing switch selectivelyoperable for providing a rate signal corresponding to a unit weightprice for the commodity to be labelled, a computer responsive to saidweight signals and rate signals for providing corresponding pricesignals, and a register responsive to said price signals for displayingthe price of a prepackaged commodity to be labelled; said computercomprising a first storage unit and a second storage unit for storingrespectively a reference weight signal and a gross weight signal, asubtracting unit for determining the difference between said referenceweight signal and said gross weight signal thereby to provide a netweight signal, and a multiplier unit responsive to said net weightsignal and said rate signal for producing as a product said pricesignal, and a controller selectively operative for storing saidreference weight signal in said first storage unit and cyclicallyoperative for sequentially storing and clearing said gross weight signalat said second storage unit and said net weight signal at saidsubtracting unit and said price signal at said multiplier unit, wherebyeach price signal furnished to said register corresponds to the netprice for the commodity as determined from the gross weight of thepre-packaged commodity and said reference weight.

4. An automatic weighing and computing and registering system forpreparing price labels for random weight pre-packaged commoditiesincluding a weighing scale providing a weight signal corresponding tothe weight of a package placed thereon, -a pricing switch selectivelyoperable for providing a rate signal corresponding to a unit weightprice for the commodity to be labelled, a computer operative through astart cycle and operative through each of a plurality of weighing cyclesfor providing a corresponding plurality of price signals, and a registerreprice for each of the pre-packaged commodities to be labelled; saidcomputer comprising means operative during said start cycle for storinga reference weight signal from said scale and operative through each ofsaid weighing cycles to sense a gross weight signal from said scale, andfurther means for determining the difference between said referenceweight signal and gross weight signal, whereby each price signalfurnished to said register corresponds to the net price for thecommodity as determined from the gross weight of the pre-packagedcommodity and said reference weight.

5. An automatic weighing and computing and registering system forpreparing price labels for random weight pre-packaged commoditiesincluding a Weighing scale providing a weight signal corresponding tothe weight of a package placed thereon, a pricing switch selectivelyoperable for providing a rate signal corresponding to a unit weightprice for the commodity to be labelled, a computer operative through astart cycle and operative through each of a plurality of Weighing cyclesin response to said rate signals and to each of a plurality of weightsignals for providing a corresponding plurality of price signals, and aregister responsive to said weight signals and said rate signals andsaid price signals for displaying the weight and the unit price and thenet price of a commodity to be labelled; said computer comprising afirst storage unit and a second storage unit for storing respectively areference weight signal and a gross weight signal, a subtracting unitfor determining the difference between said reference weight signal andsaid gross weight signal thereby to provide a net weight signal, and amultiplier unit responsive to said net weight signal and said ratesignal for producing as a product said price signal, and a controllerselectively operative into a start condition for storing said referenceweight signal in said first storage unit and selectively operativethereafter into an operate condition, wherein responsive jointly to thestorage of a rate signal in said multiplier unit and cyclically to eachproviding of weight signals at said scale and to the subsequent displayof weight and unit price and net price information at said register,said weight signal is sequentially stored and cleared at said secondstorage unit and said net weight signal is cleared at said subtractingunit and said price signal is cleared at said multiplier unit, wherebyeach price signal furnished to said register corresponds to the netprice for the commodity as determined from the gross Weight of thepre-packaged commodity and said reference weight.

6. The automatic weighing and computing and registering system of claimwherein said weighing scale includes encoding means for providing aweight signal according to the Gray binary system.

7. The automatic weighing and computing and registering system as setforth in claim 6 wherein said register is a label printer and displayssaid price by printing on a label.

8. An automatic weighing and computing and regis tering system forpreparing price labels for random weight pre-packaged commoditiesincluding, a weighing scale including encoding means for providing aweight signal according to the Gray binary system and c0r responding tothe weight of a package placed thereon, a pricing switch selectivelyoperable for providing a rate signal corresponding to a unit weightprice for the commodity to be labelled, :a computer operative through astart cycle and operative through each of -a plurality of .weighingcycles in response to said rate signals and to each of a plurality ofWeight signals for providing a corresponding plurality of price signals,and a printer responsive to said price signals for printing acorresponding price on a commodity label; said computerv comprising afirst storage unit and a second storage unit for storing respectively areference Weight signal and a gross weight signal, a sub signal in saidfirst storage unit, said controller in said I operate condition beingresponsive jointly to the storage of a rate signal in said multiplierunit and to each subsequent weight signal at said scale for storing saidweight signal in'said second storage unit and being responsivethereafter to printing of said price at said printer to clear saidweight signal from said second storage unit and to clear said net weightsignal from said subtracting unit and to clear said price signal fromsaid multiplier unit, whereby each price signal furnished to saidprinter corresponds to the net price for the commodity as determinedfrom the gross weight of the pre-pack-aged commodity and said referenceweight.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,123,164 3/1964Echenique et a1. 177l LOUIS CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

1. AN AUTOMATIC WEIGHING AND COMPUTING AND REGISTERING SYSTEM FORPREPARING PRICE LABELS FOR RANDOM WEIGHT PRE-PACKAGED COMMODITIESINCLUDING, A WIGHING SCALE PROVIDING A WEIGHT SIGNAL CORRESPONDING TOTHE WEIGHT OF A PACKAGE PLACED THEREON, A PRICING SWITCH SELECTIVELYOPERABLE FOR PROVIDING A RATE SIGNAL CORRESPONDING TO A UNIT WEIGHTPRICE FOR THE COMMODITY TO BE LABELLED, A COMPUTER RESPONSIVE TO SAIDWEIGHT SIGNALS AND RATE SIGNALS FOR PROVIDING CORRESPONDING PRICESIGNALS, AND A REGISTER RESPONSIVE TO SAID PRICE SIGNALS FOR DISPLAYINGTHE PRICE OF A PRE-PACKAGED COMMODITY TO BE LABELLED; SAID COMPUTERCOMPRISING MEANS FOR STORING THE FIRST WEIGHT SIGNAL FROM SAID SCALE ASA REFERENCE WEIGHT AND FOR SENSING EACH OF THE SUBSEQUENT WEIGHT SIGNALSFROM SAID SCALE AS GROSS WEIGHTS, AND FURTHER MEANS FOR DETERMINING THEDIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAID FIRST WEIGHT SIGNAL AND EACH OF SAID SUBSEQUENTWEIGHT SIGNALS, WHEREBY EACH PRICE SIGNAL FURNISHED TO SAID REGISTERCORRESPONDS TO THE NET PRICE FOR THE COMMODITY AS DETERMINED FROM THEGROSS WEIGHT OF THE PRE-PACKAGED COMMODITY AND SAID REFERENCE WEIGHT.